


Blüdhaven's Savior

by shelikescookies



Series: Cookie's Whumptober 2019 [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Crying, Gen, Guilt, Hurt No Comfort, Isolation, Self-Doubt, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-09 08:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20850434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shelikescookies/pseuds/shelikescookies
Summary: Whumptober 2019 — Day 7: IsolationHe could still smell it. Clogging, clouding his head. Burning wood and flesh.He made a mistake. He — he fucked up.





	Blüdhaven's Savior

Sitting in the dark of his living room, Dick stared at the static coming from the tv. He needed a new receiver. And a new tv. This one was cracked now. 

Dick came home from patrol, smelling of smoke. He could still smell it. Clogging, clouding his head. Burning wood and flesh. 

He made a mistake. He — he fucked up. 

A month after Nightwing made his first appearance in Blüdhaven, established as the new hero in town and the citizen were echoing 'who's batman' through the streets. 

Only a month. That's all it took for the golden opportunity to prove Bruce right. 

Twenty-three died in the flames. Because of Nightwing’s mistake. He failed to notice the bombs sooner. He should have expected that, for the building to be rigged. He should have accounted for traps and conceptions. Batman taught him better than that. That's why he thought it was a great idea to move to a new city and make a name for himself — independent from Batman. 

Nightwing. Blüdhaven's savior. 

Yeah, what a hero he was. Too stupid to see the obvious. Too _incompetent_. 

Bruce was right. Right to fire him. Right to kick him out. (_I left on my own accord!_, Dick repeated as a mantra. It helped him get through the separation.) 

Dick failed as Robin and he failed as Nightwing. 

The static hurt his eyes. The only light source in his otherwise completely dark apartment. Maybe it was the tears that caused his eyes to burn. Who knew. Dick calmed down about half an hour ago, but the tears kept streaming down his face. He couldn't stop them. Stopped trying. 

He also couldn't stop the voice of the news reporter replaying in his head over and over and over. Reporting of a building exploding. That Nightwing was there — supposed to be there, but where was he? Why didn't he try to save those poor people trapped in their apartments? 

As he saw the pictures of the hellfire consuming everything in its path, Dick knew exactly where he was. He was fighting the man who lured him there in the first place. He thought the people were safe. The sudden explosion shook him to the core and on top of it all, he let the man escape as he rushed back to the building. 

Dick tried to save them. The second degree burns on his arms and chest were prove enough. He made a mental note to do something about his suit. The fire burned right through it. Maybe if his suit would've been able to handle the heat, he could've saved those people. Those twenty-three innocents, who trusted him and put their lives in his hands. 

And he let them die. 

He failed them. He failed everyone. He was no hero. He was a boy playing dress-up, thinking he had a chance in the big league. That he could do this. 

Now see where that got him. 

A sob wrecked Dick's body and he buried his hands in his hair. Tugging it hard. The pain was nothing against the guilt that spread through his whole body. 

His phone rang. It was going non-stop. His friends knew he went by Nightwing now and that he moved his base to Blüdhaven. Of course they heard what happened and wanted to know if he was alright. 

He wasn't. He didn't want them to know.

Dick ignored them. 

Through his haze though, Dick recognized the ringtone he specifically set for Bruce and his heart leapt right out of his chest. 

Bruce found out. It wasn't hard — his failure was broadcasted throughout the entire east coast. Everyone knew now that Nightwing was a fraud. A useless kid. 

But the whole earth could've found out and shushed him. Knowing _Bruce_ knew and he knew _Dick_ was responsible… Nothing compared to the fear he felt in the moment he picked up his phone and pressed it to his forehead. 

"I'm sorry," he told it, the song filling his ears, "I'm so sorry. You were right. You were — _right_! I, I should have listened to you. You always knew better!" 

Tears dropped onto the screen as Bruce hung up, ending the song. 

Dick let himself fall onto his side, hugging the phone to his injured chest as he shook violently from crying. He quietly begged Bruce for forgiveness, apologized to Blüdhaven and the victims of the explosion and their families. He kept begging while his phone started again, playing the same song. 

He didn't deserve it and he didn't want to hear it. 

He accepted his righteous punishment by shutting everyone out. 


End file.
